Nonchordtones

Nonchordtones are musical notes that are not part of the underlying chord structure of a piece of music. They are often used to create tension, interest, and melodic variety. Nonchordtones can be classified into two main categories: passing tones and neighbor tones.

Passing tones are notes that pass through two other notes, creating a smooth transition between them. They are often used to create a sense of motion and flow in a melody. For example, in the melody of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," the notes between the main notes of the melody are passing tones.

Neighbor tones, on the other hand, are notes that are adjacent to a main note in the melody. They are often used to create a sense of tension and release. For example, in the melody of "Ode to Joy," the notes that are adjacent to the main notes of the melody are neighbor tones.

Nonchordtones can also be used to create dissonance, which is a sense of tension created by the use of notes that do not belong to the underlying chord structure. Dissonance can be used to create a sense of drama and excitement in a piece of music.

In summary, nonchordtones are musical notes that are not part of the underlying chord structure of a piece of music. They are often used to create tension, interest, and melodic variety. Nonchordtones can be classified into passing tones and neighbor tones, and they can also be used to create dissonance.